History, 1838–1856, volume C-1 [2 November 1838–31 July
1842]

Completed 1841. Opened for business, 5 Jan. 1842. Owned by JS, but managed mostly by others, after 1842. First floor housed JS’s general store and counting room, where tithing was received and recorded. On second floor, one of two small rooms served as JS...

Principal gathering place for Saints following expulsion from Missouri. Beginning in 1839, LDS church purchased lands in earlier settlement of Commerce and planned settlement of Commerce City, as well as surrounding areas. Served as church headquarters, 1839...

Term usually applies to JS’s private office, which was located at various places during JS’s lifetime, including his home and red brick store. While in JS’s red brick store, office served as church headquarters and location where JS kept his sacred writings...

1 Nov. 1808–25 July 1887. Preacher, editor, publisher, politician. Born at Milnthorpe, Westmoreland Co., England. Son of James Taylor and Agnes Taylor, members of Church of England. Around age sixteen, joined Methodists and was local preacher. Migrated from...

’s Office, to receive
instructions according to the appointment of the Council on the
18th.. President
Joseph
Young

7 Apr. 1797–16 July 1881. Farmer, painter, glazier. Born at Hopkinton, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts. Son of John Young and Abigail (Nabby) Howe. Moved to Auburn, Cayuga Co., New York, before 1830. Joined Methodist church, before Apr. 1832. Baptized into LDS...

stated the reasons why the Quorum of Seventies had granted
Licences, that he applied to President
Joseph
Smith for permission on the solicitations of the quorums; that their
reasons for so doing were because Licences could not be obtained from the
Church Clerk

13 Mar. 1795–3 Mar. 1871. Farmer, stockman. Born at Dunstable, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts. Son of Abel Butterfield and Mercy Farnsworth. Married first Polly Moulton, 30 Oct. 1819. Moved to Buxton, York Co., Maine, 1820. Baptized into LDS church by John ...

22 Saturday
22 I was very busy in appraising Tithing
property, and in the evening revised the rules of the City Council,
attended Council and spoke on their adoption, and was elected Vice Mayor
pro tem of the City of
Nauvoo

Principal gathering place for Saints following expulsion from Missouri. Beginning in 1839, LDS church purchased lands in earlier settlement of Commerce and planned settlement of Commerce City, as well as surrounding areas. Served as church headquarters, 1839...

Term usually applies to JS’s private office, which was located at various places during JS’s lifetime, including his home and red brick store. While in JS’s red brick store, office served as church headquarters and location where JS kept his sacred writings...

Settled by 1823. Post office established, 26 Apr. 1827. Population of area later bolstered by Mormon immigration. Stake of LDS church organized in area, by Mar. 1841. Stake discontinued by letter from JS, 24 May 1841. Mormon population by Dec. 1841 about ...

for
preaching that the Church ought to unsheath the sword. and Elder
A. Litz for preaching that the authorities of the Church
were done away &c and cited him to appear before the High Council of
Nauvoo

Principal gathering place for Saints following expulsion from Missouri. Beginning in 1839, LDS church purchased lands in earlier settlement of Commerce and planned settlement of Commerce City, as well as surrounding areas. Served as church headquarters, 1839...

8 Sept. 1809–12/19 Jan. 1892. Merchant, millwright, physician. Born in Co. Tyrone, Ireland. Son of Richard Law and Ann Hunter. Immigrated to U.S. and settled in Springfield Township, Mercer Co., Pennsylvania, by 1820. Moved to Delaware Township, Mercer Co...

26 Feb. 1806–15 Oct. 1876. Merchant, millwright, land speculator, farmer. Born in Ireland. Son of Richard Law and Ann Hunter. Immigrated to U.S. and settled in Springfield Township, Mercer Co., Pennsylvania, by 1820. Moved to Delaware Township, Mercer Co....

25 Tuesday
25 Signed deeds for lots, to the Laws, transacted a variety of business in the
City

Principal gathering place for Saints following expulsion from Missouri. Beginning in 1839, LDS church purchased lands in earlier settlement of Commerce and planned settlement of Commerce City, as well as surrounding areas. Served as church headquarters, 1839...

Term usually applies to JS’s private office, which was located at various places during JS’s lifetime, including his home and red brick store. While in JS’s red brick store, office served as church headquarters and location where JS kept his sacred writings...

3 Aug. 1804–5 Aug. 1867. Physician, minister, poultry breeder. Born at Fairhaven, Bristol Co., Massachusetts. Son of John Bennett and Abigail Cook. Moved to Marietta, Washington Co., Ohio, 1808; to Massachusetts, 1812; and back to Marietta, 1822. Married ...

* 28th. The High Council heard and accepted the report
of their Committee of the 18th. instant, as
follows,

“The High
Council of the Church of Jesus Christ, to the Saints of
Nauvoo

Principal gathering place for Saints following expulsion from Missouri. Beginning in 1839, LDS church purchased lands in earlier settlement of Commerce and planned settlement of Commerce City, as well as surrounding areas. Served as church headquarters, 1839...

A specific location in Missouri; also a literal or figurative gathering of believers in Jesus Christ, characterized by adherence to ideals of harmony, equality, and purity. In JS’s earliest revelations “the cause of Zion” was used to broadly describe the ...

, we feel
it to be our duty to stir up your minds, by way of remembrance, of things
which we conceive to be of the utmost importance to the Saints. While we
rejoice at the health and prosperity of the Saints, and the good feeling which
seems to prevail among us generally, and the willingness to aid in the
building of the “House of the Lord

,” we are
grieved at the conduct of some, who seem to have forgotten the purpose for
which they had gathered. Instead of promoting union, appeared to be
engaged in sowing strifes and animosities among their brethren, spreading
evil reports; brother going to law with brother, for trivial causes, which
we consider a great evil, and altogether unjustifiable, except in extreme
cases, and then not before the world.— We feel to advise taking the word of
God for our guide, and exhort you not to forget you have come up as
Saviors upon Mount Zion, consequently to seek each other’s good,— to
become one: inasmuch as the Lord has said, “except ye become one, ye are none
of mine.” Let us always remember the admonitions of the Apostle:—

“Dare any of
you having a matter go to law before the unjust and not before the saints?
Do ye not know the Saints shall judge the world? And if the world shall be
judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matter? Know ye not, that
we shall judge Angels? How much more things that pertain to this life? If
then, ye have judgment of things pertaining to this life, set them to
judge who are least esteemed in the Church. I speak to your shame. Is it so,
that there is not a wise man among you? no, not one that shall be able to
judge between his brethren. But brother goeth to law with brother and that
before unbelievers. Now therefore there is utterly a fault among you,
because ye go to law one with another. Why do ye not rather take wrong? Why do
ye
[p. 1271]

Completed 1841. Opened for business, 5 Jan. 1842. Owned by JS, but managed mostly by others, after 1842. First floor housed JS’s general store and counting room, where tithing was received and recorded. On second floor, one of two small rooms served as JS...

Principal gathering place for Saints following expulsion from Missouri. Beginning in 1839, LDS church purchased lands in earlier settlement of Commerce and planned settlement of Commerce City, as well as surrounding areas. Served as church headquarters, 1839...

Term usually applies to JS’s private office, which was located at various places during JS’s lifetime, including his home and red brick store. While in JS’s red brick store, office served as church headquarters and location where JS kept his sacred writings...

1 Nov. 1808–25 July 1887. Preacher, editor, publisher, politician. Born at Milnthorpe, Westmoreland Co., England. Son of James Taylor and Agnes Taylor, members of Church of England. Around age sixteen, joined Methodists and was local preacher. Migrated from...

’s Office, to receive
instructions according to the appointment of the Council on the
18th.. President
Joseph
Young

7 Apr. 1797–16 July 1881. Farmer, painter, glazier. Born at Hopkinton, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts. Son of John Young and Abigail (Nabby) Howe. Moved to Auburn, Cayuga Co., New York, before 1830. Joined Methodist church, before Apr. 1832. Baptized into LDS...

stated the reasons why the Quorum of Seventies had granted
Licences, that he applied to President
Joseph
Smith for permission on the solicitations of the quorums; that their
reasons for so doing were because Licences could not be obtained from the
Church Clerk

13 Mar. 1795–3 Mar. 1871. Farmer, stockman. Born at Dunstable, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts. Son of Abel Butterfield and Mercy Farnsworth. Married first Polly Moulton, 30 Oct. 1819. Moved to Buxton, York Co., Maine, 1820. Baptized into LDS church by John ...

<22> Saturday
22 I was very busy in appraising Tithing
property, and in the evening revised the rules of the City Council,
attended Council and spoke on their adoption, and was elected Vice Mayor
pro tem of the City of
Nauvoo

Principal gathering place for Saints following expulsion from Missouri. Beginning in 1839, LDS church purchased lands in earlier settlement of Commerce and planned settlement of Commerce City, as well as surrounding areas. Served as church headquarters, 1839...

Term usually applies to JS’s private office, which was located at various places during JS’s lifetime, including his home and red brick store. While in JS’s red brick store, office served as church headquarters and location where JS kept his sacred writings...

Settled by 1823. Post office established, 26 Apr. 1827. Population of area later bolstered by Mormon immigration. Stake of LDS church organized in area, by Mar. 1841. Stake discontinued by letter from JS, 24 May 1841. Mormon population by Dec. 1841 about ...

for
preaching that the Church ought to unsheath the sword. and Elder
A. Litz for preaching that the authorities of the Church
were done away &c and cited him to appear before the High Council of
Nauvoo

Principal gathering place for Saints following expulsion from Missouri. Beginning in 1839, LDS church purchased lands in earlier settlement of Commerce and planned settlement of Commerce City, as well as surrounding areas. Served as church headquarters, 1839...

8 Sept. 1809–12/19 Jan. 1892. Merchant, millwright, physician. Born in Co. Tyrone, Ireland. Son of Richard Law and Ann Hunter. Immigrated to U.S. and settled in Springfield Township, Mercer Co., Pennsylvania, by 1820. Moved to Delaware Township, Mercer Co...

26 Feb. 1806–15 Oct. 1876. Merchant, millwright, land speculator, farmer. Born in Ireland. Son of Richard Law and Ann Hunter. Immigrated to U.S. and settled in Springfield Township, Mercer Co., Pennsylvania, by 1820. Moved to Delaware Township, Mercer Co....

<25> Tuesday
25 Signed deeds for lots, to the Laws, transacted a variety of business in the
City

Principal gathering place for Saints following expulsion from Missouri. Beginning in 1839, LDS church purchased lands in earlier settlement of Commerce and planned settlement of Commerce City, as well as surrounding areas. Served as church headquarters, 1839...

Term usually applies to JS’s private office, which was located at various places during JS’s lifetime, including his home and red brick store. While in JS’s red brick store, office served as church headquarters and location where JS kept his sacred writings...

3 Aug. 1804–5 Aug. 1867. Physician, minister, poultry breeder. Born at Fairhaven, Bristol Co., Massachusetts. Son of John Bennett and Abigail Cook. Moved to Marietta, Washington Co., Ohio, 1808; to Massachusetts, 1812; and back to Marietta, 1822. Married ...

<* 28th.> The High Council heard and accepted the report
of their Committee of the 18th. instant, as
follows,

“The High
Council of the Church of Jesus Christ, to the Saints of
Nauvoo

Principal gathering place for Saints following expulsion from Missouri. Beginning in 1839, LDS church purchased lands in earlier settlement of Commerce and planned settlement of Commerce City, as well as surrounding areas. Served as church headquarters, 1839...

A specific location in Missouri; also a literal or figurative gathering of believers in Jesus Christ, characterized by adherence to ideals of harmony, equality, and purity. In JS’s earliest revelations “the cause of Zion” was used to broadly describe the ...

, we feel
it to be our duty to stir up your minds, by way of remembrance, of things
which we conceive to be of the utmost importance to the Saints. While we
rejoice at the health and prosperity of the Saints, and the good feeling which
seems to prevail among us generally, and the willingness to aid in the
building of the “House of the Lord

,” we are
grieved at the conduct of some, who seem to have forgotten the purpose for
which they had gathered. Instead of promoting union, appeared to be
engaged in sowing strifes and animosities among their brethren, spreading
evil reports; brother going to law with brother, for trivial causes, which
we consider a great evil, and altogether unjustifiable, except in extreme
cases, and then not before the world.— We feel to advise taking the word of
God for our guide, and exhort you not to forget you have come up as
Saviors upon Mount Zion, consequently to seek each other’s good,— to
become one: inasmuch as the Lord has said, “except ye become one, ye are none
of mine.” Let us always remember the admonitions of the Apostle:—

“Dare any of
you having a matter go to law before the unjust and not before the saints?
Do ye not know the Saints shall judge the world? And if the world shall be
judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matter? Know ye not, that
we shall judge Angels? How much more things that pertain to this life? If
then, ye have judgment of things pertaining to this life, set them to
judge who are least esteemed in the Church. I speak to your shame. Is it so,
that there is not a wise man among you? no, not one that shall be able to
judge between his brethren. But brother goeth to law with brother and that
before unbelievers. Now therefore there is utterly a fault among you,
because ye go to law one with another. Why do ye not rather take wrong? Why do
ye
[p. 1271]

This document, “History,
1838–1856, volume C-1 [2 November 1838–31 July 1842],” is the third of six
volumes of the “Manuscript History of the Church” (in The
Joseph Smith Papers the “Manuscript History” bears the editorial title
“History, 1838–1856”). The completed six-volume collection covers the period
from 23 December 1805 to 8
August 1844. The narrative in this volume commences on
2 November 1838 with
JS and other church leaders being held prisoner by
the “Governor

14 Dec. 1796–14 Mar. 1860. Bookkeeper, bank cashier, merchant, Indian agent and trader, lawyer, doctor, postmaster, politician. Born at Lexington, Fayette Co., Kentucky. Son of John M. Boggs and Martha Oliver. Served in War of 1812. Moved to St. Louis, ca...

Originally called Shoal Creek. Located fifty-five miles northeast of Independence. Surveyed 1823; first settled by whites, 1831. Site purchased, 8 Aug. 1836, before Caldwell Co. was organized for Latter-day Saints in Missouri. William W. Phelps and John Whitmer...

Principal gathering place for Saints following expulsion from Missouri. Beginning in 1839, LDS church purchased lands in earlier settlement of Commerce and planned settlement of Commerce City, as well as surrounding areas. Served as church headquarters, 1839...

, Illinois,
on 31 July 1842. For a more complete
discussion of the entire six-volume work, see the
general
introduction to this history.

Volume C-1 was
created beginning on or just after 24 February
1845 and its narrative was completed by 3
May 1845, although some additional work continued on the volume through
3 July of that year (Richards, Journal, 24
and 28 Feb. 1845; Historian’s Office, Journal, 3 May 1845; 3 and 4 July 1845).
It is in the handwriting of
Thomas
Bullock and contains 512 pages of primary text, plus 24 pages of addenda.
Additional addenda for this volume were created at a later date as a
supplementary document and appear in this collection as “History, 1838-1856,
volume C-1 Addenda.” Compilers
Willard Richards

and Thomas Bullock drew heavily
from JS’s letters, discourses, and diary entries;
meeting minutes; church and other periodicals and journals; and reminiscences,
recollections, and letters of church members and other contacts. At JS’s
behest, Richards maintained the first-person, chronological-narrative format
established in previous volumes, as if JS were the author.
Brigham
Young

1 June 1801–29 Aug. 1877. Carpenter, painter, glazier, colonizer. Born at Whitingham, Windham Co., Vermont. Son of John Young and Abigail (Nabby) Howe. Brought up in Methodist household; later joined Methodist church. Moved to Sherburne, Chenango Co., New...

14 June 1801–22 June 1868. Blacksmith, potter. Born at Sheldon, Franklin Co., Vermont. Son of Solomon Farnham Kimball and Anna Spaulding. Married Vilate Murray, 22 Nov. 1822, at Mendon, Monroe Co., New York. Member of Baptist church at Mendon, 1831. Baptized...

26 June 1817–1 Sept. 1875. Born at Potsdam, St. Lawrence Co., New York. Son of John Smith and Clarissa Lyman. Baptized into LDS church by Joseph H. Wakefield, 10 Sept. 1832, at Potsdam. Moved to Kirtland, Geauga Co., Ohio, 1833. Labored on Kirtland temple...

, and others reviewed and
modified the manuscript prior to its eventual publication in the
Salt
Lake City newspaper Deseret News.

The historical
narrative recorded in volume C-1 continued the account of
JS’s life as prophet and president of the church.
Critical events occurring within the forty-five-month period covered by this
text include the Missouri

Area acquired by U.S. in Louisiana Purchase, 1803, and established as territory, 1812. Missouri Compromise, 1820, admitted Missouri as slave state, 1821. Population in 1830 about 140,000; in 1836 about 240,000; and in 1840 about 380,000. Mormon missionaries...

Mormon War; subsequent legal trials of church
leaders; expulsion of the Saints from Missouri; missionary efforts in
England by the
Twelve

Members of a governing body in the church, with special administrative and proselytizing responsibilities. A June 1829 revelation commanded Oliver Cowdery and David Whitmer to call twelve disciples, similar to the twelve apostles in the New Testament and ...

and others; attempts by JS to obtain federal
redress for the Missouri depredations; publication of the LDS Millennial
Star in England; the migration of English converts to
America

North American constitutional republic. Constitution ratified, 17 Sept. 1787. Population in 1805 about 6,000,000; in 1830 about 13,000,000; and in 1844 about 20,000,000. Louisiana Purchase, 1803, doubled size of U.S. Consisted of seventeen states at time ...

; missionary efforts in other
nations; the death of church patriarch
Joseph
Smith Sr.

12 July 1771–14 Sept. 1840. Cooper, farmer, teacher, merchant. Born at Topsfield, Essex Co., Massachusetts. Son of Asael Smith and Mary Duty. Nominal member of Congregationalist church at Topsfield. Married to Lucy Mack by Seth Austin, 24 Jan. 1796, at Tunbridge...

Principal gathering place for Saints following expulsion from Missouri. Beginning in 1839, LDS church purchased lands in earlier settlement of Commerce and planned settlement of Commerce City, as well as surrounding areas. Served as church headquarters, 1839...

Also known as pinery. Area near Black River where lumbering operation was established to provide timber for construction of Nauvoo temple, Nauvoo House, and other public buildings. Four mills established on Black River, ca. Sept. 1841: three near Black River...

on the Mount of Olives in Palestine;
publication of the “Book of Abraham” in the Nauvoo Times and
Seasons; publication of the JS history often referred to as the
“Wentworth letter;” the organization of the Female Relief Society of Nauvoo;
and the inception of Nauvoo-era temple endowment ceremonies.

,
Jonathan Grimshaw, and
Leo
Hawkins; 512 pages, plus 24 pages of addenda; CHL. This is the third
volume of a six-volume manuscript history of the church. This third volume
covers the period from 2
November 1838 to 31 July 1842; the remaining five volumes, labeled A-1,
B-1, D-1, E-1 and F-1, continue through 8 August
1844.